PricewaterhouseCoopers on recruiting and retaining untapped talent

With the increasing pool of new graduate entrants with an ethnic minority background, many companies are now tackling diversity by reaching students while they are still in school and their career paths are still undecided. PricewaterhouseCoopers, and other professional services firms, have long been taking this approach. Sarah Churchman, director of Diversity & Inclusion at PwC stated, “The PwC award-winning student recruitment campaign, ‘One For All’, was specifically created to emphasise the fact that the firm is keen on attracting candidates from the widest possible pool of talent… Critically, the work we are doing at PwC to ensure that we not only attract diverse talent but also develop and retain that talent, is really beginning to pay dividends. On 1 July this year, 14 percent of our newly admitted partners were from an ethnic minority background.” Sandra Kerr, national director of Race for Opportunity, reports that this emphasis on recruitment and retention of ethnic minorities is common throughout many sectors. “I think what’s happened is that many employers are realising it’s not just the ‘Come and join us’ message that is important with graduates, but connecting them with the business aims once they’re in through programmes like mentoring and coaching. It’s about ensuring that talent isn’t lost.” Kerr noted that the biggest trend of this year is that sectors such as professional services, investment banks and law firms are acting as consortiums, such as “Pure Potential” and “Target Chances”, by holding skills workshops and hosting sampler days where there is a chance to meet ethnic minority leaders.